Improvement in composite roofing



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINHARDT LEHNDORFF, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN COMPOSITE ROOFING.

Specification forming part of Letters Iatent No. 136,840, dated March18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHARDT LEHND ORFF, of Detroit, in the county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin a Compound for Covering the Roofs of Railway Cars and Buildings; andI do declare that the following is a true and ac-- curate descriptionthereof.

The nature of this invention relates to a composition of materials forcovering the roofs of railway cars and buildings, and the method ofapplying the same; and it consists in the composition of materials in orabout the proportions. and applied in the manner, hereinafter set forth.

In a suitable kettle I place ten gallons of boiled linseed-oil, and addthereto, when heated, eight pounds of Venetian turpentine. To the above'I add the following mixture: Burnt umber, one part; dry ore-paint, threeparts; yellow ochre, three. parts. I stir of the above mixture into theoil and turpentine such a quantity as to make a mass of the consistencyof thin putty. This compound I spread with a trowel on the roof-boardsto the depth of one-fourth of an inch, and then stretch over it acovering of coarse burlaps or other fabric of a loose and open texture,nailing it, after stretching, under the edges of the roof. I then take atool like a Wooden paddle with a bent handle and move it to and fro,pressing the fabric until the compound oozes up through it, and it isthus embedded in the mass. When the surface is dry, I apply a coat ofpaint, and

sand it or not, as preferred. The surface soon hardens, and will resistthe action of the ele ments, while the body of the mass under the fabricalways remains soft and flexible, yielding to the expansion andcontraction of the roof.

Precaution must be taken to protect the mass, while finishing the roof,by providing pieces of heavy straw-board for the operator to stand on.

Litharge, or its equivalent, may be used in lieu of the umber, andeither the ochre or orepaint may be omitted by doubling the quantity ofthe remaining ingredient, but better results are obtained by using both.

My improved roof-covering is more especially intended for railway cars,as its expense'is too great to warrant its use on buildings generally.

Before applying the compound the roofboards should be treated with acoat of oil, to prevent the absorption of the oil in the compound.

I claim as my invention-- The compound for covering roofs, composed ofthe ingredients in the proportions herein set forth, and adapted to afabric of loose texture, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

R. LEHNDORFF.

Witnesses:

H. F. EBERTS, H. S. SPRAGUE.

